3 Ginger Snaps

So I read a blog post from a friend tonight. From some people I admire who have said: A few weeks of school in December? Meh… let’s go traveling. And because of her post I was reminded that I also have a place where I can write and I often think about writing there but don’t have the just right words so I wait and then when the just right words come I’m often in an inopportune position to sit and write. But not tonight. Thankfully. And so I’m resolving to try harder on the writing because it brings me solace. Hold that thought.

* * *

Right now I’m struggling in my teaching career in a way that I haven’t struggled before. The struggle is a professional one. Professional because I know that I have the capacity to get past the hurdle in front of me – I just have to adapt. And I’m trying. And if Thursday and Friday of last week are any indication then I know I’m on the right path because I adapted something in my practice and my students responded positively right away and today I’m kinda looking forward to Monday in a way that I really haven’t yet this school year. And usually I look forward to Monday because usually my job is fun.

I know that while I’m adapting so are my students and so even as I adapt they will adapt too – right along with me. Sometimes helpful adaptations. Sometimes not. So I’ll do my best to be Mendel and find the crosses that grow the best beans even though I know that nature will test me every step of the way. Because that’s what they do. They test. Hold that though.

* * *

This happened tonight:

Ruby got a book stand as a gift today. It was one of the only things on her Christmas list. (Why’d we give it to her early?) And – as you can see from the picture – it’s indispensable.

But it made me think. And it made me want to write this post. Because like any intelligent child – when she found something new she tested it. She found a new application that suited her. She took something that she had originally asked for so that she could read in bed and she put it to work in a novel way. She adapted. Effortlessly. Without planning. Maybe without consciousness. In real time. It just happened. Literally. Hil took that picture 20mins ago. Hold that thought.

* * *

So then.

Inspiration and desire to write.

Professional struggle in need of solution.

Continually surrounded by consciously and unconsciously adapting humans.

I’m trying to infer an answer but it only exists as a messy blob of an unformed and indescribable idea in my mind about what to do next. But I think what I am thinking is that I need to take a page out of Ruby’s book (yep – pun intended) and keep putting simple things that I’ve always wanted to good use in novel ways.